This invention relates to an apparatus for the wet surface treatment (i.e., sueding) of continuous textile materials.
Apparatus for the surface treatment of dry fabrics are currently known incorporating one or more rotating rollers covered with a conventional abrasive band.
These known apparatus, usually known as fluffing (or sueding) machines, provide the treated fabrics with tactile and visual effects deriving from the partial removal of fibrous material from their surface, to hence give them a more or less accentuated surface pile.
There is an increasing requirement for achieving new and different tactile and visual effects. For example, tactile effects are required such as to soften the fabric while at the same time preventing the formation of surface pile. Other required visual effects include those which determine a fabric appearance similar to discolouring and/or ageing, as possessed by used fabrics.